Operator's Manual

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11. Remove Heat Shield
Remove the barrel as described above. Rotate the heat shield
up and off the barrel assembly. See Figure 65. DO NOT
DISASSEMBLE THE BARREL ASSEMBLY BEYOND THIS.
12. Remove Gas Cylinder
Remove the barrel assembly as described above.
Grab the knurled end of the gas cylinder and rotate it while
pulling out on it until it unlocks and can be withdrawn
completely from the receiver. See Figure 66.
13. Remove Bipod Assembly
Remove the gas cylinder as described above.
Open the bipod as described in Section 21. It can now be
simply removed from the front of the receiver. Do not attempt
to disassemble the bipod beyond this. See Figure 67.
14. Remove Forearm / Handguard Assembly
To remove the forearm/handguard assembly, first disassemble
the rifle as described above.
Use a cleaning rod section or the guide rod to push the
forearm retaining pin from right to left. This pin is captive and
will be retained in the forearm. See Figure 68.
With the pin unlocked, rotate the forearm / handguard down
and forward, off of the receiver. See Figure 69.
STOP! DO NOT DISASSEMBLE THE RIFLE BEYOND THIS LEVEL.
25. CLEANING AND LUBRICATION
WARNING! BEFORE PERFORMING ANY CLEANING OR
SERVICE PROCEDURES, MAKE SURE THE SLIDE
HAMMER IS COCKED AND THE SAFETY SELECTOR IS
IN THE SAFE POSITION AS EXPLAINED IN SECTIONS
10 AND 11. OPEN THE ACTION AND MAKE CERTAIN
YOUR RIFLE IS COMPLETELY UNLOADED. ALLOW THE
RIFLE TO COOL. KEEP THE MUZZLE POINTED IN A
SAFE DIRECTION. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE
WARNINGS COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR
DEATH.
WARNING! WEAR EYE PROTECTION WHEN
DISASSEMBLING AND CLEANING YOUR RIFLE TO
PREVENT SPRINGS, SPRING-LOADED PARTS,
SOLVENTS OR OTHER AGENTS FROM CONTACTING
YOUR EYES, RESULTING IN INJURY.
WARNING! KEEP ALL AMMUNITION AWAY FROM THE
CLEANING AREA. NEVER TEST THE MECHANICAL
FUNCTION OF YOUR RIFLE WITH LIVE AMMUNITION.
FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE WARNINGS COULD
RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
Your FN M249S
™
will function better, more reliably and be more
accurate over a longer period of time if it is properly maintained
and kept clean. Clean your firearm after every day of shooting, and
more often if it becomes excessively dirty during your shooting
session.
A minimum cleaning includes wiping down the firearm and
lubricating key parts. Regular maintenance will also include
cleaning the barrel and the bolt, bolt carrier and gas piston.
As you clean and lubricate your FN M249S
™
rifle, inspect the parts
for abnormal wear, cracks, corrosion, and rust. Contact FN America
Product Service if if any are found. Moving parts not removed
during normal maintenance should be inspected for ease of
movement and proper spring tension, if applicable. Do not remove
components from the rifle except for where explained in this
manual. Use compressed air or aerosol gun cleaners to clean
under, around or behind these components.
If you encounter a function problem be sure to give your firearm a
thorough cleaning to see if it resolves the problem before seeking
the services of FN America Product Service, your departmental
armorer, or a qualified gunsmith.
Before performing cleaning and lubrication:
1. Make sure the slide hammer is cocked and the safety
selector is in the SAFE position as explained in Sections
10 and 11, the rifle is cleared as described in Section 17
and the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction.
2. Disassemble the FN M249S
™
rifle as described
in Section 24.
FIGURE 67
FIGURE 66
FIGURE 65
FIGURE 69
FIGURE 68